Toy roundabout



April 29, 1952 w. H. J. DOWNEY TOY ROUNDABOUT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 FiledDec. 9, 1947 'ENTOR.

William llJfiawney M4071, A 7705M? April 1952 w. H. J. DOWNEY 2,595,061

TOY ROUNDABOUT Filed Dec. 9, 1947 2 SHEETS$HEET 2 a 52, Z5 T 92 T7,,- 74

INVENTOR.

A Tromvs Patented Apr. 29, 1952 1m STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY ROUNDABOUTWilliam H. J. Downey, Wilmington, Del.

Application December 9, 1947, Serial No. 790,645

2 Claims. (01. 27231) My invention relates to toys and more particularlyto that type of toys in which a standard supports a pair ofdiametrically oppositely extending arms so that said arms are set intorotary motion about said standard by their own gravity,

An object of my invention is to provide a toy of the character indicatedabove, the standard of which consists of a flat steel bar twisted aboutits longitudinal axis to form a spiral guide way for the radial arms,which consist of a continuous piece of wire having in its longitudinalcenter a loop formed to correspond with the pitch of the spiral of thetwisted standard.

Another object of my invention is to provide a toy of the characterindicated above, on the ends of the radial arms of which toys in theshape of aeroplanes or the like are suspended so that they are adaptedto swing freely on said arms.

A further object of my invention is to provide a toy of the characterindicated above the standard of which is secured with its lower end onthe upper end of a support resting on removable legs, so that thestandard extends substantially vertical in upward direction.

A further object of my invention is to provide a toy of the characterindicated above, having on its upper end a removable ornamental member.

A further object of my invention is to provide a toy of the characterindicated above the upper end portion of the standard support of whichis such that the loop of the horizontal radial arms may encircle saidend portion and permit the rotary movement of said arms to continueuntil the impulse caused by the gravity of the arms is exhausted.

A further object of my invention is to provide a toy of the characterindicated, in which the upper end portion of the twisted standard isundercut so that it maintains the twisted shape of the standard and isadapted to enter into the lower end of a rectangular sleeve twisted atthe same pitch as the standard and having the same outside dimensions asthe standard, thereby forming a smooth continuation thereof andpermitting a similar under-cut end of a similarly twisted bar to enterthe upper end of the sleeve to form a further continuation of thestandard.

Other objects of my invention not specifically mentioned may appear inthe following specification describing my invention with reference tothe accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of myinvention. It is, however, to be understood that my invention is not tobe limited or restricted to the exact construction and combination ofparts described in 2 the specification and shown in the drawing, butthat such changes and modifications can be made which fall within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

In the several figures of the drawing, similar parts are designated bysimilar reference characters and Figure 1 is a view in perspective of atoy constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation showing thecoaction between the loop and standard;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 but showing the loop at itslowermost position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the loop and associatedarms as herein comprised;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through one of theaeroplanes herein embodied;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 ofFigure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 1-4 ofFigure 6;

Figure 8 is a view in plan of the blank from which the combinationrudder and elevator is produced;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 9-4 ofFigure 5;

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the linel0|0 of Figure 5;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of a modified form ofstandard, and

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line I2l2 ofFigure 11.

The toy forming the subject matter of my invention comprises a standardl5 which is preferably made from a flat bar twisted about itslongitudinal axis in such a manner as to form a spiral thread 15a ofshort pitch and of constant diameter throughout its entire length whichprovides a corresponding spiral groove or guide l5b. The lower endportion of the standard 15 is secured to a support It in any suitableconventional manner depending on the material from which the support ismade. The uppermost end portion l'! of the support I6 is shaped into anupwardly extending round stub rod of the same diameter as the twistedstandard [5 for a purpose to be described later. The lowermost portion18 of the support I6 is preferably shaped into a downwardly pointingcone and a plurality of legs l9, preferably three, carry this supportand The upper end portion 22 of the standard I is" under-cut or reducedin size but is twisted at a corresponding angle to the main portion ofthe standard.

A pair of arms A substantially in longitudinal alignment is formedpreferably from a continuous piece of wire, the center portion of whichis shaped to form an open loop 23 which is shaped to define a spiralhaving the same pitch as the.

spiral guide way formed by the twisted standard |5. One end of the loopjoins an end of one arm in a rounded knee 23a and the other end of theloop joins the other arm in a correspondingly formed rounded knee 23b.The knees are in different planes as will be readily apparent, so thatwhen the loop is in place around the standard, a part of the loop willlie in the spiral groove |5b with one knee resting upon the edge of thespiral thread as, for example, the knee 230:, while the other knee willengage in the guide way and have contact with adjacent edges of twoconvolutions of the spiral thread. The arms A extend in oppositedirections relative to each other, and the end portion of each arm isformed into an open hook 24 for a purpose to be described later.

A comparatively short support rod 25 has on its upper end an eye 26adapted to engage one of the open eyes 24. There are two support rods 25and on the lower end of each of these rods an open hook 21 is formed toengage and supports a flying toy T, for instance an aeroplane. The twoaeroplanes T may represent different models of such apparatus. One maybe provided with a single propeller 28 and the other with three or anyother desired number of propellers.

When the toy is to be used the aeroplanes T are hung on the hook ends 24of the arms A, which then are put onto the upper end of the standard l5,by inserting said standard through the loop 23 of the arms A, so thatthe loop engages the convolutions of the twisted spiral, and the weightof the arms and of the aeroplane hanging thereon urges the loop to slidedownwardly on the standard. The engagement between the loop and theconvolutions of the standard imparts to the radially extending arms arotary movement about the vertical axis of the standard, and thecentrifugal force urges the aeroplanes to swing outwardly from the armends 24, giving the impression of aeroplanes banking during flyingthrough a curve. When the arms arrive at the bottom end of the standardI5, the loop 23 slides onto the top end portion H of the support I6 andthe rotary movement of the arms and the object hanging thereon willcontinue until the impulse given to the arms by their gravity and by thecentrifugal force of said objects will be exhausted.

An ornamental top member 29 is mounted removably on the under-cut topend portion 22 of the standard |5 which enters a twisted slot 30provided in the bottom portion of said ornamental member. When it isdesired to prolong the standard |5, a rectangular sleeve 3|, which istwisted at the same pitch as the standard, and

has the same outside dimensions as said standard and inside dimensions,which are a little larger than the under-cut top portion 22 of thestandard, are mounted on the standard by sliding the under-cut topportion of the latter into the sleeve 3| after removing the ornamentaltop member 29. A prolongation member 32 is made from a bar similar tothe one from which the standard I5 is made, and this bar is twisted atthe same pitch as the standard. The lower end portion 33 of theprolongation member is under-cut in the same manner as the upper endportion 22 of the standard I5, and fits slidingly into the sleeve 3|.

' The upper end portion (not shown) of the prolongation member 32 may beunder-cut and twisted like the upper end portion 22 of the standard l5,so that it is adapted to enter the slot in the bottom of the ornamentalmember 29 or a second prolongation sleeve 3|.

Each aeroplane T comprises a body B formed by a curved top portion 34and a substantially flat bottom 35. The curved top" portion 34 has anarcuate intermediate portion 36, which tapers off forwardly andrearwardly as shown at 31 and 38 respectively in Figures 5, 6 and 9. Inthe bottom 35, a plurality of longitudinal narrow slots 39 is providedadjacent to its longitudinal edges and the curved top portion 34 has acorresponding number of cars or lugs 40 formed on its edges and adaptedto be inserted through the slots 39 and to be bent over to lie flatlyunderneath the bottom 35, the middle portion 4| of which extendsparallel to the uppermost longitudinal portion of the curved top 34. Theforward portion 42 of the bottom slants forwardly and upwardly as shownin Figures 5 and 6 and the rear bottom portion 43 slants rearwardly andupwardly as shown in Figures 5 and 9. In the front end portion of theabove described body B of the aeroplane T, a plug 44 is inserted fittingthe inner contour of said body portion and secured in place byindentations 45 made in the front top portion 31 and the front bottomportion 42 by means of an appropriate tool (not shown) and engaging saidplug. The front part 46 of the plug 44 extends forwardly beyond the bodyB and is of reduced cross section relative to the plug portion locatedinside of the body. The front surface of the plug 44 is protected by asheet metal plate 41, and the propeller 28, of any conventional shapeand construction, is rotatably mounted on said plug by means of a nail48 or the like extending through the hub 49 of the propeller 28 and theprotection sheet 41 and entering the plug 44. On each side of theintermediate bottom portion 4!, a vertically downwardly extendingbracket 50 is formed. An axle 5| is rotatably mounted in these twobrackets and adjacent each end of said axle a wheel 52 is mounted.Inside the intermediate body top portion 36 a horizontal transverseplate 53 is arranged, which is provided at each of its ends with twolugs 54 extending through horizontal slots 55 provided in the sideportions of the arcuate intermediate body portion 36. In the uppercurved part of this body portion located above the bench formed by theplate 53, an oval opening 56 is arranged. Adjacent the foremost portionof this opening a transverse slot '51 is provided in the forward topbody portion 31 adapted to receive a lug 58 formed on an imitationsteering wheel 59 stamped out of sheet metal or the like. The lug '58extends through the transverse slot 51 and is bent over to lie flatlyagainst and engage the body B to secure the steering wheel 59.

A human figure 60 is formed in a well known manner from two sheet metalhalves to impart to said figure a sitting posture. The hands Bl ofsaidfigure are placed in position to grip the steering wheel 59, and twotongues or lugs 62 formed on the lower part of the body of the figure 60extend through two slots 63 provided in the bench 53, so that the humanfigure 50 may be placed in working position. on said bench or may beremoved therefrom. Rearwardly of the cockpit opening 56 in the body Band symmetrically to the vertical center plane of the body a hole 64is-arranged, whichisadapted to be engaged by the open hook 21 on thelower end of the short support rod 25, so that the aeroplane T may beremovably suspended on the end of one of the arms A.

A tail skid 65 is formed from a piece of wire and is secured in thefollowing manner onto the body B under the tail part 43. Rearwardly ofthe intermediate bottom portion 4| and symmetrically to the verticalcenter plane of the body B, two holes 66 and 61 respectively, areprovided in the rear bottom portion 43 at a distance behind each other.On the front end of the tail skid 65, an upwardly and forwardlyextending angular portion 68 is formed, and on the rear end of said skidthe wire forming the skid is bent upwardly as at 89 and the upper end ofthis wire portion is bent rearwardly as at 18, so that the tail skid maybe secured by inserting the upward and rearward extending wire portionsthrough the rear hole 61 and then inserting the angular front wireportion 68 through the forward hole 66.

The rear end of the aeroplane body B is open and a combination rudderand elevator R is mounted oscillatingly in said rear end and extendsrearwardly from said body. The combination of rudder and imitationelevator R is preferably made from a sheet metal blank. This blankconsists of one piece of sheet metal having two wing portions H and 12respectively having each a rear edge 13 and 14 respectively, which runat an angle of approximately 120 to each other. A bend line 15, runningforwardly from the apex of the angle formed by the rear edges 13 and 14,divides this angle into halves and the apexes of these two halves arerounded ofi as shown at 16 in Figure 8. From the outer end of the rearedge 14 of the wing portion 12, a side edge 11 extends toward the bendline at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to the rear edge 14and the apex of this angle is rounded oil", as shown at 18 in Figure 8.A second bend line 19 is indicated in Figure 8 to extend from theapproximate center of the rear edge 14 forwardly at an angle of aboutone hundred degrees to the inner half of said edge, and the side edge 11stops at its intersection with the second bend line 19. A short edge 80forming a continuation of the second bend line extends somewhat beyondthe intersection point of said line with the side edge 11 and anotheredge 8| of the blank extends at right angles to the short edge 80 towardthe first bend line and ends on the intersection with this line, fromwhere another blank edge 82 extends forwardly in the same direction withthe first bend line 15. The wing portion H is shaped exactly like thewing portion 12 and a bend line is indicated in the drawing and islocated in the wing portion H like the bend line 19 in the wing portion12, so that the wing portion H has a side edge corresponding to the sideedge 11, and short forward extending edge 85 corresponding to the shortedge 88. From the outer end of the short edge 85, a still shorter edge88 extends outwardly at a right angle to the edge and a side edge .81extends forwardly to the short edge 86. A

front edge 88 extends at a right angle to the side edge 81 inwardly fromsaid side edge until it crosses or meets the edge 82. The combination Rof' rudder and imitation elevator is made from the above described blankin the following manner: First the blank is bent on the bend lines [9and 83 so that the outer portions 12a and 'llIa. of the wing portionsextend at right angles to. the main .wing portions, and then the blankis folded along the bend line 15 until the two main wing portions extendalongside of each other and the two outer wing portions extend inopposite directions to each other at right angles to the folded mainwing portions. The blank portion defined by the edges 86, 81, 88 and 82is then rolled to form a hinge sleeve 89 adapted to be inserted into theopen rear end of the body B. A rudder pin 90 extends centrally andvertically through the body top portions 38 and 43 adjacent to the rearends thereof and through the hinge sleeve 89. It is secured in positionby two rivet heads 9| and 92 respectively and supports the rudder andelevator unit pivotally on the aeroplane body.

In each side of the intermediate top body portion 38, a longitudinalhorizontal slot 93 is provided. Two wings 94 are provided and the innerend portion 95 of each wing is bent upwardly at right angles to the mainwing portion. By inserting the inner ends 95 through the slots 93 intothe body B and then pivoting the main wing portions downwardly until theinner wing edge portions engage the sides of the body, the wings areremovably secured to said body. When it is desired to equip one or bothaeroplanes of my toy with more than one propeller, imitation motorhousings 95 are secured onto the wings 94 in any desired conventionalmanner at the front edges of the wings and to forward end of each motorhousing a propeller 28 is rotatably secured in the manner describedabove for an aeroplane equipped with a single propeller.

I claim:

1. In a toy of the character set forth, a standard formed to provide acontinuous thread spiral of constant diameter throughout the length ofthe standard, the threads being closely formed to provide a short pitch,and a toy suspending unit comprising a pair of arms substantially inlongitudinal alignment and a joining portion between the arms, saidjoining portion comprising an open spiral loop disposed to one side ofthe substantially aligned arms and encircling the standard and lying inpart in the space between two adjacent thread convolutions, one end ofthe loop being arranged to ride on the edge of the thread and the otherend of the loop being arranged to run in the space between the saidadjacent convolutions of the thread, the outer ends of the arms beingdesigned to support freely suspended swinging toys. 1

2. A toy of the character described in claim 1, including a supportingbase for the standard having an upwardly extending cylindrical portionof the same diameter as the standard and adapted to enter the loop toprovide a smooth pivot around which the loop and arms may freely turn.

WILLIAM H. J. DOWNEY.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Bennett Mar. 5, 1907 Crew June27, 1916 LeMeur Jan. 2, 1923 Piper et a1 July 17, 1923 Reeves Nov. 2,1926 O'Neil et a1 Apr. 26, 1927 Number 10 Number Name Date Bitetto Feb.14, 1928 Long Aug. 26, 1930 Graves Mar. 27, 1934 Haifley Nov. 23, 1943I-Iojnowski Feb. 26, 1946 Brown Mar. 29, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS CountryDate Great Britain Mar. 18, 1886 Germany Feb. 28, 1922

